Luzerne County will keep using 68 elected municipal tax collectors and pay them more, but not as much as they had wanted.
Councilman Harry Haas put up a strong battle for in-house collection by the county treasurer’s office, saying it would cost less, provide the county with immediate access to its tax revenue, open up online payment options to all and fall in line with the home rule government’s promise of more progressive and efficient methods.
He went as far as asserting those resistant to the change are fearful the elected collectors are going to “come get them” at election time, even though he and several other council colleagues had won re-election in the past after supporting in-house collection.
“A lot of people are paying attention to this, and they’re not happy this is going the political way,” Haas said, describing in-house collection as “pro-taxpayer.”
Only four of the 11 council members supported the in-house option: Haas, Walter Griffith, Linda McClosky Houck and LeeAnn McDermott.
Those voting to keep elected collectors: Chris Perry, Kendra Radle, Sheila Saidman, Robert Schnee, Stephen J. Urban, Matthew Vough and Tim McGinley.
Schnee said he completely disagrees with Haas. He said you “can’t have a price tag” on the convenience elected collectors provide to property owners in their municipalities, particularly the elderly.
The elected collectors don’t receive health insurance benefits, pensions or sick and vacation days and have a 95% collection rate, he said. Schnee also said he has been contacted by 25 to 30 citizens supportive of keeping elected collectors.
Beyond their office hours, the elected collectors routinely answer questions from property owners at the hair dresser or while they are out shopping, he noted.
Saidman said she has concerns about pulling the “rug out from under their feet” by taking away the work from the elected collectors, particularly during the hardship of the coronavirus pandemic.
Griffith said elected collectors would continue receiving payment for receiving school and municipal taxes. He said most taxpayers mail their tax bills.
The county treasurer’s office already successfully collects its own taxes in all four county cities and Newport Township, he said, adding that he is confident county Manager C. David Pedri could competently make sure the treasurer’s office takes on the additional duties.
“It’s the right thing to do,” Griffith said.
Haas asked Pedri for his opinion on the matter.
After noting he believes it’s “really a council question,” Pedri said the county can’t provide customer service in individual municipalities. He also said the four additional clerks the treasurer’s office must hire would receive approximately $23,000, and he’s had a “hard time” keeping workers in positions at that pay range.
“Is the juice worth the squeeze?” Pedri asked.
The elected collectors currently receive $2.50 for each paid county tax bill and have asked council to approve a 10-cent increase annually in the three final years of their next four-year terms, which would boost their payment to $2.80 in 2025.
A council majority ended up voting on Griffith’s amendment to keep the pay at $2.50 the first two years and raise it to $2.60 per bill in 2024 and 2025.
Other amendments also were approved involving requirements for elected collectors to appoint deputies and make sure the county has access to their bank accounts.
Nine council members ended up approving the final amended package, with no votes from Haas and McClosky Houck.
Tax collector changes had to be approved before Feb. 16, when prospective elected collectors start circulating and filing nomination petitions to appear on the May 18 primary election ballot.
The adopted resolution also said the county will now pay home rule municipalities the same rate as municipal elected collectors, which means they also will receive an increase. The county currently pays three home rule municipalities — Kingston, Kingston Township and Wilkes-Barre Township — $1.50 for each county tax bill they collect.
